Friction clutch and coupling.



No. 675,232. Patented May 28, Hill.

J. W. MODBE &. J. A. WHITE.

FRICTION CLUTCH AND COUPLING.

(Application filed Oct. 23, 1899.)

2 Sheets$heat I.

(No Model.)

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Patented May 28, l90l. MOORE & J. A. WHITE.

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(A;plication egi Oct. 23, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. MOORE AND JAMES ATWOOD WHITE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENN- SYLVANIA.

FRICTION CLUTCH AND COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 675,232, dated May 28,1901.

Application filed October 23,1899. Serial No. 734,566. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JOHN W. MOORE and JAMES A'rwooD WHITE, citizens ofthe United States, and residents of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain Improvements in Friction Clutches and Couplings, ofwhich the following is a specification.

Our invention consists of certain improveinents in the friction clutchor shaft coupling for which we obtained Letters Patent No. 427,344,dated May 6, 1890.

The main object of our present invention is to so construct the clutchor coupling that the wooden friction-blocks with which the same isprovided can be readily renewed without necessitating the practicaldismantling of the structure. This object we attain in the mannerhereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings,in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a shaftcouplingconstructed in accordance with our present invention. Fig. 2 is a frontView of the same with some of the clutching elements removed or brokenaway in order to illustrate the construction of parts of the couplingwhich would otherwise be hidden thereby, and Figs. 3 and 4 are sectionalviews illustrating a special embodiment of our invention.

In Fig. 1 are represented the end portions of two shafts 1 and 2 whichare to be coupled. The shaft 1 has a hub 3, with arms or spokes 4,carrying an annular flange 5, which has longitudinal slots 6 formedtherein at intervals, six of these slots being shown in Fig. 2. Fittingsnugly, but so as to slide freely in a longitudinal direction withinthis flange 5, is a ring 7, which has openings formed in it for thereception of the wooden frictionblocks 8, the latter projecting beyondboth the front and rear faces of the ring, as shown in Fig. 1. The ring7 also has outwardly-projecting lugs 7 which enter the slots 6 of theflange 5, so that the ring 7 is compelled to rotate with said flange.Secured to the shaft 2 is a hub 9, which carries a clutch-disk 10, theouter portion of said'disk being adapted to bear against the rear facesof the wooden blocks 8 and the forward faceof the disk having projectingribs 11, which are arranged in pairs, as shown in Fig. 2, so as toprovide means for supporting transverse pins 12, upon which are mountedlevers 13, which can be caused to swing upon their pivots by thelongitudinal movement of a sliding clutch-collar 14, mounted on theshaft 2, said clutch-collar being connected to the forwardly-projectingarms of the levers 13 by means of links 15. The levers 13 act upon otherlevers 16, which are hung upon bolts 17, mounted upon and projectingforwardly from the clutch-disk 10, the levers 16 acting upon aclutch-ring 18, which is adapted to bear upon the front faces of thewooden clutch-blocks 8, these front faces of the blocks and the engagingface of the ring 18 being reversely beveled or V- shaped, as shown inFig. 1, so that the ring 18 will have a natural tendency to centeritself upon the blocks when it is pressed against the same. Theclutch-ring 18 has lugs 19, which project down between the ribs 11 ofthe clutchdisk 10, as shown in Fig. 2, and thus serve to insure therotation of said ring 18 with the disk 10 without causing lateral strainupon the bolts 17, the latter passing through openings in the lugs 19,as shown'in Fig. 1. The clutch-disk 10 has pockets 20 formed in it between each pair of lugs 11, these pockets being intended for thereception of coiled springs 21, which surround the bolts 17 and bearupon the lugs 19 of the clutch-ring 18, thereby serving to push saidclutch-ring away from the clutch-disk 10 when it is relieved from thepressure of the levers 16. Each of these levers has a forward bearingupon a nut 22, screwed upon the outer threaded end of one of the bolts17 and prevented from becoming loose by means of a lock-nut 23, appliedto the bolt beyond the said nut 22.

By mounting the wooden friction-blocks 8 in the ring 7 independently ofthe clutch disk and ring said blocks can be readily applied, and whenthey become worn they can be readily renewed without removing any otherparts of the coupling than the clutch-ring 18, its levers 16, and theretaining-nuts 22 and 23, the ring 7 being then free to be slipped outof engagement with the flange 5, and after the renewal of the blocks theparts can be reasselnbled with equal readiness. The ring 7, with itswooden friction-blocks,is free to move longitudinally in respect to theslotted flange 5, so that it is clamped between the clutchdisk 10 andclutch-ring 18 as an object will be clamped between the jaws of a vise,and good frictional contact of said clutch-disk 10 and clutch ring 18with the opposite faces of the Wooden friction-blocks is thus insured.

In the construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4 a multiple block-carryingring is employed, said ring having two sections 7, each engaging withthe flange 5 and each having its complement of blocks 8, an intermediateclutchring 18 being interposed between the two sets of blocks, but thisring having no engagement with the flange 5. The inwardly-projectingportion of the ring 18 is perforated for the passage of the bolts 17 andalso for the passage of certain of the springs 21, the remainder of thesprings bearing upon the ring 18as shown, for instance, at 21 in Fig. 4.There may be more than two sections of the block-carrying ring and morethan two interposed rings 18, if desired.

Although we have shown and described our invention as applied to ashaft-coupling, it will be evident thatit is applicable topulleyclutches as well.

Having thus described our invention, we claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent 1. The combination in a friction clutch or coupling, of aflange secured to and rotating with the shaft or pulley, a ring mountedin said flange and having engaging portions whereby it is caused torotate therewith but is permitted free longitudinal movement independentthereof, friction-blocks mounted in openings in said ring and projectingbeyond the faces of the same, a clutch-disk mounted upon the shaft andengaging one face of each of said blocks, a clutch-ring engaging theother face of each of the blocks and lever mechanism whereby said clutchdisk and ring are forced into frictional contact with the blocks, saidlever mechanism so connected with the clutch-disk as to be out of theline of movement of the clutch-ring and the interposed ring carrying thefrictionblocks, substantially as described.

2. The combination in a friction clutch or coupling, of a flange securedto and rotating with the shaft or pulley, a ring mounted within saidflange and having engaging portions whereby it is caused to rotatetherewith but is permitted free longitudinal movement independent.thereof, friction blocks contained in openings in said ring andprojecting beyond the faces of the same, a clutchdisk mounted upon theshaft and engaging with one face of each of said blocks, a clutchringengaging with the other face of each of said blocks, and lever mechanismfor forcing the clutch disk and ring into frictional contact with theblocks, and so connected with the clutch-disk as to be out of the lineof movement of the clutch-ring and the interposed ring carrying thefriction-blocks, the engaging faces of the clutch-ring and blocks beingreversely beveled or V-shaped, substantially as specified.

3. The combination in a friction clutch or coupling, of a flange securedto the shaft or pulley so as to rotate therewith, a ring mounted in saidflange and having engaging portions whereby it is caused to rotatetherewith, friction-blocks mounted in said ring and projecting beyondthe faces of the same, a clutchdisk bearing upon one face of each ofsaid blocks, said clutch-disk having pairs of parallel ribs upon itsface, a clutch-ring engaging with the opposite face of each of theblocks and having lugs fitting between said ribs of the clutch-disk, andlever mechanism for forcing the clutch disk and ring into frictionalcontact with the blocks,substantially as specified.

4:. The combination in a friction clutch or coupling, of a flangesecured to and rotating with the shaft or pulley, a ring mounted in saidflange and having engaging portions whereby it is caused to rotatetherewith, friction-blocks mounted in said ring and project ing beyondthe faces of the same, a clutchdisk engaging with one face of each ofsaid blocks, said clutch-disk having pairs of parallel ribs upon itsface and pockets between said ribs, a clutch-ring engaging with theopposite face of each of the friction-blocks and having lugs fittingbetween the ribs of the clutch-disk, springs contained in the pockets ofthe disk and pressing forwardly upon said lugs, and lever mechanismwhereby the clutch disk and ring are forced into frictional c011- tactwith the blocks,substantially as specified 5. A friction clutch orcoupling having in combination, a clutch disk and ring, a ring containedbetween said clutch disk and ring but independent of both, and connectedto the part to be rotated so as to have longitudinal movementindependent thereof, and friction-blocks carried by said interposed ringand engaged by the clutch disk and ring and means for pressing theclutch-disk and clutch ring toward each other, so connected with theclutch-disk as to be out of the line of movement of the clutch-disk andinterposed ring, whereby said interposed ring may be removed withoutdismantling the connections between the clutch-ring and the clutch-disk,substantially as specified.

6. The combination in a friction clutch or coupling of a flange securedto and rotating with the shaft or pulley, a sectional ring mountedwithin said flange and engaging therewith, friction-blocks carried byeach section of the ring, a clutch-ring interposed between the blocks ofone section and those of the adjoining section, a clutch-disk engagingwith the blocks of the innermost section of the ring, a clutch-ringengaging with the blocks names to this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

JOHN W. MOORE. J. ATWOOD WHITE.

Witnessesz F. E. BECHTOLD, Jos. I-I. KLEIN.

